The #1 killer of women in the United States is HEART DISEASE, not cancer as many people think. In 2006 there were 332,000 deaths in the U.S. that were associated with heart disease, according to the records of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

The First Lady, Laura Bush, has taken action to help inform people of the symptoms of a heart attack and gives advice on how to prevent it. She joined forces with the NHLBI and is very active in helping women prevent heart attacks. The good news is that the numbers are decreasing – it was one out of three women that died of a heart attack in 2003 and in 2004 it declined to one out of four – a decrease of 17,000 deaths. However, we still need to continue to make people aware of the symptoms of heart attacks and give them advice on how to prevent it. “The really good news is that heart disease CAN BE PREVENTED and there are very easy steps for all of us to take to change our lifestyles and prevent heart disease,” says Mrs. Bush in the Spring issue of Heart-Healthy Living magazine. She believes that a balanced diet, and her “early-to-bed-early-to-rise” regime keeps stress levels under control, a crucial part of helping prevent heart disease.

Here are the symptoms associated with heart attacks which were recorded in the Heart-Healthy Living Magazine, Spring 2007 issue:

~Pressure, pain or discomfort in the center of the chest that comes and goes

~Shortness of breath

~Unusual fatigue

~Pain in the upper body, including back, neck, arms, jaws and stomach

~Nausea, cold sweats, dizziness

An important thing to do when preventing a heart attack is to be aware not only of the symptoms but also of the risk factors. The more risk factors you have, the greater the risk of heart disease. Elizabeth Nabel, M.D., in the Heart-Healthy Magazine, says that “One risk factor can increase your chances of heart disease twofold. Having two risk factors increases it four-fold and three, tenfold.” Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, lack of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, and family history of heart disease.

So, be aware of the risks that can cause heart attacks and the symptoms that you have if you do have one. Prevent heart attacks by

* eating healthy

* exercising regularly

* not smoking

* keeping your cholesterol down

* keeping stress down as much as possible – practice meditation, yoga, etc. Anything that will help lower your stress level.

There are definitely ways to help prevent having heart disease. Don’t just accept that since you have a family history of heart disease you can’t do anything about it. Start to lower the risk factors in your life by living a healthier lifestyle – it is that simple. Simply adapt good eating habits, incorporate at least 30 minutes of excercise into your daily routine, use products that are not filled with toxins, adapt good sleep habits, and lower your stress level.

Live healthy! Lower your risk of heart attacks – women’s number one killer in the U.S!

By: Mirdza Hayden

About the Author:

Lets say the truth, cosmetic surgery tourism is about cutting down costs, of course you want a good doctor, with many experience and a lot of satisfied patients and of course you will certainly get that with surgeons in Colombia, but if we talk about prices we must tell the truth.

The cost of a breast augmentation in the United States can vary from $4,000 to $8,000 depending on the surgeon experience and the wait list the surgeon have from patients.

A liposuction can start from $3,500 ,
a nose job or Rhinoplasty can vary from $4,000 to $5,000
a Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is around $5,000
a Buttocks Implant could cost around $4,700
and finally a facelift can go from $6,000 to $8,000 and even more.

As you see those prices are good for the surgeons but not good for you, also you must take in mind that those costs does not includes the anesthesiologist fee, the implants fee (in the case of breast implants) and the medical facility fee. If you include everything you could get a higher price than you expected.

The average cost of a breast augmentation in Colombia is about $2,500 depending in the exchange rate, and usually that includes the anesthesiologist fee, the implants and the medical facility fee.

Here is a list of the most common procedures and their prices in Colombia, this is an estimate but will not change as much as they change in the USA or Europe.

Breast Augmentation $2,500
Liposuction $3,000
Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) $4,500
Rhinoplasty $2,200
Breast Reduction $3,500
Eyelid surgery $1,900

You are probably asking yourself: how is this possible? will they use low quality implants?, or will I get the surgery in place that does not comply with the basic rules of hygiene?, the answer to this is quite simple: It’s not that it is cheaper in Colombia but that in your country it is too expensive.

Yes that is the true!!, just think about it, how much does it cost to be a doctor in the USA?, medical school is extremely expensive. The average first year tuition at a private medical school in the 1998-1999 school year was $24,917. The average first year tuition at a public (state-supported) medical school for in-state residents in 1998-1999 was $9,263 and for out of state residents it was $22,391. In addition, there are fees, housing costs, meals, books, equipment, car expenses, etc.

The high cost of medical school has implications that are not obvious at first. Most medical school graduates have large financial debts when they graduate. In 1996 the mean educational debt of medical graduates who had to borrow money was $75,103. Some medical students don’t borrow money because they enter the military, which pays for medical school in exchange for a time commitment.

One third of graduates of private medical school have financial debt greater than $100,000.

As a result, many graduates tend to enter high-paying sub-specialties.

Now you will say, OK that explain why is more expensive in the USA but how about quality of surgeons?, well as you can check by yourself most of the surgeons in Colombia have made their specialties in the USA or Europe . It is just not matter of graduating from the medical school, a doctor must first get a specialty degree before he can practice as a professional surgeon.

About the quality of medical facilities you will be surprised of the fact that all the equipment used in specialized clinics (where cosmetic surgeons operate) are top-notch because the surgeons themselves wants that, and getting access to those equipment is not that expensive anymore for the specialized clinics in Colombia.

So as you can see and check by yourself in internet or by calling surgeons or clinics in Colombia, you can have more peace of mind about getting a cosmetic surgery procedure in Colombia. Remember It’s not that it is cheaper in Colombia but that in your country it is too expensive.